The past two weeks have been a more than usually musical fortnight. It began with the world premiere of Michael Maxwell Steer’s Romantic Variations for Alto Saxophone and Piano (the present writer playing the latter instrument) and culminated in an event at which Sir James MacMillan and I were “In Conversation”, as part of his 60th birthday celebrations. I struggle to think of any Catholic in the arts who has done as much for the Faith as has Sir James over the past 30 years. What an unalloyed pleasure it was for me, therefore, to play a small part in lauding this greatest of living composers, this exceptional man. How lucky we are to call him our own.